Asheville Estate Planning

Find the right Wills & Trusts attorney in Asheville, NC

"Estate planning" in Asheville refers to the decisions a person makes regarding what is to be done with their assets after their death, and the process of implementing those wishes.

Estate planning usually requires professional legal and financial advice, because of the complexity and importance of the issues involved. A poorly-executed estate plan can often end with survivors suing each other, and prevent your intentions from being effectuated.

Estate planning can have many positive effects on the planner during life, as well. These benefits are usually somewhat intangible, revolving around the peace of mind that comes with knowing that, after your death, you family will be taken care of and that they'll know what your last wishes are. Nonetheless, most people find this very valuable. To that end, you should come up with a power-of-attorney agreement. When you grant someone power of attorney, you have given them the power to make certain decisions on your behalf. You can grant them as much or as little authority as you want. Most people, however, give family members or life partners power of attorney with respect to medical care, so if they become incapacitated, their wishes will still be carried out.

If you want to maximize the odds that your wishes will be followed after your death, you should do everything you can to make them legally binding. While this is not always possible, an Asheville attorney will be able to make sure that, where it is possible, it is done.

Common Features of Asheville Estates

Will: This is usually a major component in any estate plan. A will is a document in which a person lays out what they want done with their property after their death. These gifts usually have the effect of transferring legal ownership of the property to the named beneficiary.

Living Will: This is a document which lays out instructions for your medical care, should you become so sick or badly injured that you are unable to express your wishes. It should state under what circumstances you want to remain on life support. A well-drafted living will can prevent you from being kept alive in a permanent vegetative state (if that is not what you want), while ensuring that you receive medical care as long as you have a chance at recovery.

Power of Attorney: Power of attorney is the authority to make binding decisions for another person, when that person becomes unable to make or express their own decisions. You can grant power of attorney to anyone you want, but, for obvious reasons, you should only grant it to somebody you trust, and discuss your exact wishes with them, in case they actually have to make a decision for you.

Funeral Arrangements: What do you want done with your body after you die? Do you want to be cremated? How about buried? Or maybe you want to be cremated, and have your remains shot into space? Whatever your preference, you won't exactly be able to tell anyone when the time comes. Therefore, you should make your desires on this matter known well in advance. You also shouldn't make your will the only place where these instructions are contained, since it might not be read for weeks after your death, when it will probably be too late.

Do I Need a Asheville Estates Lawyer?

A poorly drafted or executed Asheville estate plan can have major negative consequences. For example, it might be confusing to the people who are most directly affected by it. This confusion can often lead to costly litigation. For that reason, the assistance of an experienced estate planning attorney can be invaluable.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in Asheville

Asheville is located in Buncombe County, North Carolina. It is the eleventh largest city in North Carolina, with a population of around 83,393 people.

Some fun sites to visit while in Asheville include the Biltmore Estate, Blue Ridge Parkway, the Botanical Gardens at Asheville, Grove Park Inn, the North Carolina Arboretum, the Smith-McDowell House, Sliding Rock, Bent Creek, McCormick Field, and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site.

Some famous residents (past and present) include Brad Daugherty, Harry Anderson, David Holt, Paul Schneider, Brett Swain, Robert Pressley, Rashad McCants, and Andie MacDowell.

Top employers include the health care system, the school district, Volvo Construction Equipment, Wal-Mart, Ingles, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Arvato Digital Services. Although no law firms are listed, Asheville is home to many practicing attorneys who aid residents with all their legal matters.

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